I agree

But the bitch is your pet surely she shouldn't have to earn her keep. I don't understand why the cost of keeping her should come into the equation

It depends on vets advice and what the problem was.
We bred our first litter fine everything went great.
Second litter was a disaster,breach stuck pups,one still born pup,one pup stuck (dead),vets intervention needed.Cost us a small fortune.She was spayed shortly afterwards.

Because if you are saying that people make money, hence a business, then all costs need to be taken into account. I don't see my dogs as a means of making money, I wouldn't be importing if I did, so it doesn't bother me how much I spend on the dogs or a litter because it simply doesn't matter. My dogs are my pets first and foremost, but if you want to talk about me making money then all costs have to be taken into account, you can't just write them off and pretend they haven't existed!
Besides I'd be happy with a litter of 5 I have waiting list in double figures! lol
Becky

Ethical breeders show their dogs in order to breed from them at a later date.

Most People who have no intention of breeding don't bother showing either, as they see no point to it.

So when you take years of showing, entry fees, travelling, overnights, all the show equipment, repairs, replacements, bigger vehicles for showing, etc, the list is endless, then No, all they do is recoup what theyve already spent on their dogs.

It just seems like they make money, because it comes back in a lump sum.

And more often than not, that money then goes to renew kennels, renew vehicle for showing, renewing equipment, etc etc etc, so the money goes back into the dogs and the kennels.

Puppy farmer and BYBs MAKE money because they dont health test, show, travel with dogs extensively etc, so what they make is profit.

I think it's a bit much, Trying to convince Ethical Breeders that they are all Liars about spending a fotune on their dogs

Sorry Mahooli I didn't mean to single you out, just wanted to dispel the myth that ethical breeders don't make money from breeding.

Personally I don't think the cost of the bitch should come into it, if you weren't breeding you'd still have the cost of caring for her.

Yes the dogs are pets, but much, much more is spent on them and in their career, than your average 'Pet'.hence they are an expensive pet

"Dispel the Myth" !!!!!

Have you bred any litters yourself ??

Have you spent years showing dogs ??

If not, how do you that you are indeed dispelling any myths ??

But showing is a hobby so if the pups pay for this they're paying for your hobby. Agility peeps don't breed to cover their costs.

Don't just quote half of my post, missing out the important part

Ethical breeders breed for a pup/to further the breed and they can only do that by proving the dog they have for breeding is good enough, hence showing.

It's not a hobby it's a cause to prove a dog is worthy of continuing it's breed.

Agility is nothing of the sort, and is a pure hobby. My dogs do agility for fun, but they show too.

What you spend on the dog in it's life on showing (not talking about upkeep) and everything that goes with showing, then when you do breed, all you do is recoup the costs spent on the showing career.

Plus regardless of complications, if someone breeds and has say only 2 in a litter which is common in some breeds, they never make money, they are always losing.

If you don't show, you don't breed, if you don't breed, you don't show. Fact .Get it ?